Should hunting wolves be allowed in Michigan? You'll see another petition drive this summer

The petition drive to put a second referendum challenging a Michigan law that allows wolf hunting can go ahead.

A state elections board has approved the form of the petition today.

Now the campaign can start gathering signatures to put the question on the November 2014 ballot.

If the campaign succeeds, it will be the second hunting referendum on next year’s ballot.

The first challenges an earlier wolf hunting law.

Jill Fritz is with the Keep Michigan Wolves Protected campaign. She says the second hunting law was passed with a specific purpose.

“And that was to stop our referendum from maintaining protection for Michigan’s wolves. We all know that,” said Fritz. “Everybody understands that, and that’s why we’re doing the second referendum.”

Opponents of the referendum on the hunting law asked the panel to strip any mention of wolf hunting from the summary on the petition describing what it would do. They said the hunting law encompasses more than wolves.

The request was refused.

Kent Wood is with the Michigan Wildlife Coalition, which opposes the referendum drive.

“Really, truly, the next step for us is to continue to organize our campaign the signatures, our decline to sign campaign.”

Wood says a court challenge is not out of the question.

Despite these petition efforts, a wolf hunt is scheduled to take place this November.